Meet Alyssum Hutchison | Family Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alyssum Hutchison and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alyssum, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When my business first took off, I was a generalist and didn’t turn down a single job inquiry. This allowed me to serve many people well, and in turn I have been blessed with wonderful referrals upon which I’ve built a profitable, successful business.

However as my business continued to grow, I was overworking myself, sacrificing time with my family, and taking jobs where my heart really was not. My work-life balance was completely out of whack and I was missing my family badly. I decided to invest in continued education in both business and creative mentorships, and I was able to realize my focus and my purpose.

I expanded my studio to specialize in maternity, newborn, and family portraiture in a way that creatively inspires me and is unique to my brand. It also allows me to put in more hours when my family is at work and school and fewer hours when my family is sitting at the dinner table. I am grateful to be at a point where things feel much more in balance!

My partner of a husband has supported me at every step, picked up the parenting slack where I have fallen short, and is always willing to be a sounding board for my next big idea. I know I would not have been able to make this jump without the hustle early on, so I do not regret the years and hours we have sacrificed to get the business where it is today. With a clearer head, I can now look to the possibilities for the future and how this business can keep growing and evolving, just as we creatives do.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When I photograph a family, my main goal is to capture their love and connection. I want every gallery to evoke a heartfelt reaction in my clients. I have a workflow that I follow to help my sessions run smoothly, but the most exciting part about my job is that each family is so different! When my clients receive their images, they feel seen and they feel beautiful. Like I’ve captured all of the little intangible qualities that make them unique but they’d never be able to write down with words.

My art didn’t always capture this candid uniqueness, and it’s been a story of growth for me as an artist and a mama. When I see photographs of myself with my family, my favorites are those where we are in an embrace, looking toward each other and hanging onto that safety that only your family can give you. So why then was I photographing other families, asking them to smile and “Say Cheese!” Shoot, how impersonal is that?

So I retrained my eye to capture these dynamic moments in a beautiful and creative way. I still offer a traditional pose or two to include in clients’ galleries, but this is not why they are booking me. They’re hiring me to see their uniqueness and capture the details they never want to forget about their family. These are the true heirlooms to share with generations to come.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am so in love with my big little town of Castle Rock! No visit here would be complete without a tour of our budding downtown area of restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops. My family and I go to Scileppi’s SliceWorks once a week, so I’d always include that during anyone’s visit. We are originally from New Jersey, so good pizza is important to us. They nail the style we love! There are always concerts and activities to enjoy at Festival Park which is also connected to a trail that runs all through the town. Across from the park are two restaurants called Great Divide Brewery and Tribe at Riverwalk and we’ve never had a bad meal at either place. Afterward we visit Glacier Ice Cream right next door and do some shopping at Amazing Lemons Boutique!

Once we’re fueled up, I’d take them on one of our favorite local hikes. You can’t go wrong with the Rock Park trail, Dawson Butte Open Space, or Spruce Mountain. They’re all close to home and are great for varying fitness levels.

When it’s time to go out with the adults only, one of our favorite spots is Crush Wine Bar. Their food is gourmet and they can help even the most novice of wine drinkers find something to enjoy.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I had the unique opportunity to go to a Jesse Salter Photography retreat with 13 other photographers from all over the country. We not only learned from this world-renowned artist, but we became close as a sisterhood of creatives. When we said goodbye at our workshop, it was only the beginning for our group. We’ve cheered each other on, given each other advice when we’ve been in a similar situation, and been the support system we didn’t know we needed.

Website: www.photographybyalyssum.com

Instagram: instagram.com/photosbyalyssum

Facebook: facebook.com/photosbyalyssum

Image Credits
Main photo is taken by Simply Blessings Photography.
Photography by Alyssum